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Tree equity rsd_edra
This document summarizes a study examining scenarios to achieve more equitable urban tree canopy distribution in Boston. It presents 5 potential scenarios: 1) Current Trends, 2) Metrofuture, 3) Grow Boston Greener, 4) Green Equity, and 5) All Trees. The Green Equity scenario achieved the most equitable distribution with a 39% canopy cover and equity ranking of 1 by focusing tree planting in environmental justice communities. However, the study found that true equity was not achieved and there is still room to increase Boston's overall canopy coverage to 40% through additional tree planting and other green infrastructure investments beyond trees alone.
Tree equity rsd_edra
- 1. Continued inequity forurban ecosystem services What will it take to achieve equitable tree canopy distribution in the City of Boston? Rachel Danford University of Massachusetts, Amherst May 30th 2013
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- 3. Agenda • Urban trees •Current urban tree distribution • Methods • Five potential scenarios • Conclusions
- 4. Urban trees -ecosystem services Soil Conservation Wildlife Habitat Health Benefits Community Enrichment Energy Conservation Carbon Sequestration Water Conservation Beauty Urban canopy Environmental Justice
- 5. Study Area Traffic AnalysisZone (TAZ) •Commonly used for assessing traffic related data •Can be variable in size
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- 7. Scenarios • Population projections •Tree planting potential – On impervious surface – On pervious surface – Street trees • Projected canopy loss • Equity (Gini Indices)
- 8. Scenarios – “CurrentTrends” • Canopy Cover – 28% • Equity ranking – 4 • Projected canopy loss - 20,361 trees • No investment in canopy • 7% population increase • 1% canopy loss OUTCOMES INPUTS
- 9. Scenarios – “Metrofuture” •Canopy Cover – 33% • Equity ranking – 3 • Projected canopy added – 121,751 trees • Canopy investment to 35% • Focus on “compact growth areas” • 18% population increase • 2.6% canopy loss OUTCOMES INPUTS
- 10. Scenarios – “GrowBoston Greener” • Canopy Cover – 32% • Equity ranking – 3 • Projected canopy added – 102,285 trees • Canopy investment to 35% • Add 100,000 trees to “underserved” areas • 18% population increase • 2.6% canopy loss OUTCOMES INPUTS
- 11. Scenarios – “GreenEquity” • Canopy Cover – 39% • Equity ranking – 1 • Projected canopy added – 365,076 trees • Canopy investment to 40% • Focus on EJ communities • 13% population increase • 1.58% canopy loss OUTCOMES INPUTS
- 12. Scenarios – “AllTrees” • Canopy Cover – 40% • Equity ranking – 2 • Projected canopy added – 420,392 trees • Ecological availability • Plant trees in any available planting site • 18% population increase • 2.6% canopy loss OUTCOMES INPUTS
- 13. Conclusions Equity can beimproved! •Even Green Equity doesn’t approach true equity for EJ communities •Any scenario will improve equity over the status quo (Current Trends)
- 14. Conclusions There’s room formore! •Green Equity requires planting over 3x more trees than the current GBG initiative calls for •There’s potential to increase the overall canopy cover in Boston to 40%
- 15. Conclusions Trees aren’t theonly answer – Green roofs/walls – Rain gardens – Native landscaping – Permeable paving
- 16. What does ittake to achieve equitable urban tree canopy distribution? A Boston case study. Rachel Danford, Chingwen Cheng, Michael Strohbach, Robert Ryan, Craig Nicolson, Paige Warren NSF # BCS-0948984 Thank you!